Nahum, Chapter 2, verses 1, 3
1 The fearful and victorious armies of God against Nineveh3 The sins of Nineveh, and judgments pursuing them, Nah 3:1-7.
Instances of like judgments for like sins, Nah 3:18-11.
The overthrow of all wherein they trusted, Nah 3:12-19.
3:1 The prey - Extortion and rapine.
3:3 The horsemen - The Chaldeans and their confederates.
Matthew, Chapter 16, verses 24-28
24 and admonisheth those that will follow him to bear the cross16
16:24 If any man be willing to come after me - None is forced; but if any will be a Christian, it must be on these terms, Let him deny himself, and take up his cross - A rule that can never be too much observed: let him in all things deny his own will, however pleasing, and do the will of God, however painful. Should we not consider all crosses, all things grievous to fleshand blood, as what they really are, as opportunities of embracing God's will at the expense of our own? And consequently as so many steps by which we may advance toward perfection? We should make a swift progress in the spiritual life, if we were faithful in this practice. Crosses are so frequent, that whoever makes advantage of them, will soon be a great gainer. Great crosses are occasions of great improvement: and the little ones, which come daily, and even hourly, make up in number what they want in weight. We may in these daily and hourly crosses make effectual oblations of our will to God; which oblations, so frequently repeated, will soon amount to a great sum. Let us remember then (what can never be sufficiently inculcated) that God is theauthor of all events: that none is so small or inconsiderable, as to escape his notice and direction. Every event therefore declares to us the will of God, to which thus declared we should heartily submit. We should renounce our own to embrace it; we should approve and choose what his choice warrants as best for us.Herein should we exercise ourselves continually; this should be our practice all the day long. We should in humility accept the little crosses that are dispensed to us, as those that best suit our weakness. Let us bear these little things, at least for God's sake, and prefer his will to our own in matters of so small importance. And his goodness will accept these mean oblations; for he despiseth not the day of small things. Mat 10:38.
16:25 Whosoever will save his life - At the expense of his conscience: whosoever, in the very highest instance, that of life itself, will not renounce himself, shall be lost eternally. But can any man hope he should be able thus to renounce himself, if he cannot do it in the smallest instances? And whosoever will lose his life shall find it - What he loses on earth he shall find in heaven. Mat 10:39; Mar 8:35; Luk 9:24; Luk 17:33; Joh 12:25.
16:27 For the Son of man shall come - For there is no way to escape the righteous judgment of God.
16:28 And as an emblem of this, there are some here who shall live to see tho Messiah coming to set up his mediatorial kingdom, with great power and glory, by the increase of his Church, and the destruction of the temple, city, and polity of the Jews.
2 The approach of the enemy and taking the city, Nah 2:1-6.
The consequences thereof, Nah 2:7-10.
Sin the cause of all, Nah 2:11-13.
2:1 He - The Medes or Chaldeans, that dash Nineveh in pieces. The munition - The forts.Make thy loins strong - Strengthen thyself.